Leinster's Fergus McFadden is a highly skilled young centre who has had to patiently wait his turn behind Gordon D'Arcy and Brian O'Driscoll for chances at club and country.

McFadden played alongside Rob Kearney at Clongowes Wood College, winning a Leinster Senior Schools Cup, before heading to UCD and the Leinster Academy with his schoolmate. While Kearney's rise has been meteoric, seeing him capped by the 2009 Lions, McFadden has had a steadier climb.

He was capped at U21 and Universities level while competing in the All Ireland League for UCD, operating in the centre as their main goal kicker. In 2008/9 his Leinster appearances increased to seven as Michael Cheika came to trust the Kildareman. At the end of that season he was selected for Ireland's Churchill Cup squad.

There, under the tutelage of Declan Kidney, he excelled and won the tournament's Most Valuable Player award as Ireland 'A' clinched the title. He featured more prominently for Leinster in 2009/10, but with the Irish international pairing still barring the door to a first choice place he has played 16 time and still lines out on occasion for Old Belvedere.

Kidney's faith in the player has seen him selected on Ireland's summer tour to New Zealand and Australia. He made a big impact for Leinster in the early stages of the 2010/11 season and was selected in Ireland's squad for the Six Nations.

McFadden eventually made his Ireland debut against Italy in the 2011 opener and celebrated his first international try against France a week later.